Remember

A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.

~ Joseph Campbell

The Americans who have given their lives in service for our country are more than names and dates on tombstones. Make a small sacrifice for someone in memory of these fallen heroes who have made a huge sacrifice for us.

Nature Photography at Its Best

Toledo has an amazing park system. The Metroparks mission of conservation and education has preserved more than 10,500 acres of natural, historical and cultural parklands in Lucas County, including land set aside for future parks. Because Secor Metropark is home to the National Center for Nature Photography, I knew it was one I had to check out.

The Center is North America’s first and only center totally devoted to nature photography. Its hands-on programs combine learning experiences in both nature and photography. It also houses stunning camera work of talented local and regional photographers. In fact, a traveling National Geographic Museum exhibit, Last Stand: America’s Virgin Lands, is what prompted my visit.  That and the fact admission was free … we like free!

The 57 works on display were drawn from a Nat Geo book of the same name by award-winning photographer Annie Griffiths Belt and noted author Barbara Kingsolver, and featured unique images that document America’s endangered wilderness area. Four hundred years ago the North American continent was virgin land; incredibly less than one percent of it can be called that today. Griffiths Belt’s hand-tinted, infrared photographs capture the spirit and beauty of five diverse bioregions—wetlands, woodlands, coasts, grasslands and drylands—and remind us why they should be preserved. A companion exhibit also featured photographs of wilderness preserved by Metroparks and other organizations in northwest Ohio, many of which were taken by the Center’s director, Art Weber. Both exhibits were fascinating and showcased gorgeous works.

The Center also offers workshops and field experience with nature photographers and naturalists. Though I wouldn’t necessarily rule out taking advantage of such an opportunity, a three-hour commute to do so isn’t ideal. So I did the next best thing and picked up their printout entitled Ten Top Photo Tips for Beginners. Many of the things they recommend are techniques I am already putting into practice, but since there’s always room for improvement I’m willing to undertake further suggestions.  My philosophy is that if I walk away knowing even just one thing I didn’t know when I first walked in, it was worthwhile. That being said, I thought I’d share the tips with the hope that someone else may also benefit from them.

Read, learn, photograph!

***

Ten Top Photo Tips for Beginners

1 Do the Right Thing. The first rule of nature photography is “Don’t destroy what you love.” Your subject is more important than any photo you could take of it, so don’t disturb the plants or animals as you photograph them. Stay on trails, don’t trample vegetation, use common sense.

2 Know Your Camera. The most expensive camera equipment available won’t do you any good if you don’t know how to use it. Whatever you’re using, know its capabilities and limitations. If it’s not capable of shooting photos indoors, don’t. If you can’t do close-up photography, don’t use it for that. Good technique is far more important in photography than the equipment.

3 K.I.S.S.  Keep it simple stupid. Keep your main subject(s) bold in your photos and keep your background simple. Don’t try to include too much.

4 Film Can’t See Like Your Eyes. Film (digital, too) isn’t as sensitive as your eyes. You see a wide range of details in darkness and light that film can’t. Try to compose your photos so that, no matter what the light level, your subject is in the best light in the photo.

5 Watch Your Highlights. As you compose your photos, keep in mind that when people look at photos their eyes are drawn to the highlights. Bright areas in a photo attract attention, dark areas recede. And, if you’re setting your camera exposure manually, always exposure your film to properly record the highlights.

6 Get Out of the Middle. The Rule of Thirds is a great way to practice good composition. Basically, the Rule of Thirds divides any image into three columns vertically and three rows horizontally, making nine rectangles within your photo. Keep your subject out of the middle rectangle. Instead put your subject on one of the four intersecting points, the Points of Power. Make sure you leave room for action to move into. If you’re shooting a sunset or something that includes a horizon, place the horizon on one of the horizontal lines. Try it, you’ll like it!

7 See the Light. Try shooting your photos in the more dramatic light near dawn and sunset. Light at those times of day is generally warmer (in color) and more pleasing. Low angle light also creates longer and more interesting shadows, and brings out textures.

8 Get Closer! Well, maybe not THAT close. If it’s safe, move in closer to your subject so it’s more dramatic in your photo. Don’t always think that you have to show the entire subject. Let a spray of leaves represent an entire tree or zoom in on the head of an animal for a more visual impact.

9 Work the Angles. Don’t always shoot your photos head-on while you’re standing up. Crouch down and look up, get higher and look down. Turn your subject so it’s lit from behind or from the side. See familiar things in a new way.

10 You Got Style! Be imaginative. Set yourself apart. Develop your own way of seeing things with your camera. Everybody takes photos, but not very many people take great ones.

Two with Nature

I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.

~ John Burroughs

Sure I’m into bright lights and big cities, but there’s also something to be said for circumventing the hustle and bustle, getting off the beaten path and, as in this case, instead wandering a boardwalk trail.  Sometimes the unplanned and unexpected prove to be the most rewarding.

As we traveled the Lake Erie coastline and passed through Port Clinton, we happened upon a sign for the Magee Marsh Wildlife Area and decided it warranted a stop.

In 1903, Ohioan John N. Magee acquired 2,700 acres of marshland to dike off and drain the marsh to use its fertile soil for agricultural purposes. After several years of high lake levels, farming the area became impossible. Realizing the habitat was ideal for waterfowl and furbearers, he allowed it to revert back to marshland for muskrat trapping and waterfowl hunting.

During the 1920’s through 1940, Magee Marsh was leased to an exclusive group of men from Detroit for duck hunting. In 1940, the Magee family sold the marshland to the Magee Marsh Hunt Club, but damage to dikes and channels caused by continued high lake levels made maintenance costly. In 1951 the Ohio Department of Natural Resources purchased 1,821 acres. The land was divided between the Division of Wildlife, which created a public hunting area—the Magee Marsh Wildlife Area—and the Division of Parks and Recreation, which created Crane Creek State Park to allow swimming on a portion of the beach. In June 2008, the state park was closed and the remaining land transferred to increase the size of the Magee Marsh Wildlife Area. The marsh is one of the few remaining wetland complexes on the Lake Erie shoreline, and what was once the state park beach area is now reverting to wildlife beach.

The 26,000-acre marsh is ideal for bird watching and one of the most important concentration areas in Ohio for small birds. More than 300 species have been recorded in the area. This results from a combination of geography, abundant food supply, and the fact that the birds are reluctant to cross Lake Erie. In addition, large flocks of migrating waterfowl can be seen from March through April and October through November.

As we traversed the handicap-accessible boardwalk which meanders through the area (LOVE this feature!), we crossed paths with many marshland inhabitants: blue herons, egrets, ducks, raccoons, squirrels, rabbits, muskrats and turtles.

Songbirds flitted and warbled, frogs splashed and croaked.

It was very peaceful and serene. As Mark so profoundly noted, he’d much rather spend his time exploring the Lake Erie coastline this way than battling the holiday crowds in harbor towns.

I couldn’t have agreed more.

Lake Erie Lights

A visit to northwestern Ohio would not be complete without a trip to the lakeshore. You know what that means, don’t you? Another Great Lake with new lighthouses to explore! We headed to Marblehead Lighthouse State Park to do just that.

Marblehead Lighthouse is the oldest, continuously operational lighthouse on the Great Lakes. Since 1822 it has stood at the tip of the rocky shores of Marblehead Peninsula, a narrow finger of land which juts into Lake Erie. At the base of the lighthouse and at other locations along the peninsula coast, horizontal benches of limestone bedrock were exposed by the glaciers and made the craggy shoreline particularly dangerous to sailors. In 1819, Congress recognized the need to assist the safe travels of vessels through Lake Erie’s nor’easters and the cluster of small islands on its southern coast. A total of $5,000 was earmarked for construction of a light tower at Bay Point, Ohio.

Contractor William Kelly constructed the 50-foot conical tower from the native limestone. The lighthouse cost $7,232 to build and was the only navigational aid in the Sandusky Bay region for many years; in fact, the tower was called the Sandusky Bay Light until 1870. Its first beacon consisted of 13 small whale oil lamps and a set of 16-inch-diameter reflectors.

Throughout its history, fifteen lighthouse keepers, two of whom were women, have tended its beacon. In addition to lighting the wicks of the oil lamps each night, their other duties included maintaining a log of passing ships, noting weather conditions and organizing rescue efforts.

The oil lamps were replaced in 1858 by a single kerosene lantern magnified by a fourth-order Fresnel lens and finally modernized with an electric light in 1923. Today’s 300 mm plastic lens projects a green signal that flashes every six seconds and is visible for eleven nautical miles.

The last lighthouse keeper resigned in 1946, at which time the U.S. Coast Guard assumed responsibility; the beacon was eventually automated 12 years later. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has maintained the property surrounding the lighthouse since 1972 and accepted ownership of the tower in 1998 as Ohio’s 73rd state park. The Coast Guard continues to operate and maintain its beacon.

During the summer between Memorial Day and Labor Day, tours of the lighthouse are offered on weekdays and the second Saturday of the month. We were just a wee bit ahead of the season and unable to climb the tower’s spiral staircase. With my fear of heights, that’s probably a good thing. Nonetheless, we were content to take in the exterior beauty of Marblehead Lighthouse and that of the surrounding bay.

A great introduction to the lights of Lake Erie!

Toledo Art Walk

According to the calendar, Summer Solstice officially begins on June 21 in 2010. I’ve always considered summer that period defined as “cram all you can into the three months sandwiched between Memorial and Labor Days.” I will be busy in attempting to maintain that philosophy for the 98 days it encompasses this year. In fact, I decided to hit the road early to get a jump start on the season and holiday traffic. With a place to stay and new territory to explore, I headed to Toledo for the weekend. That put me in the right place at the right time.

The buildings in the Warehouse Ditrict of downtown Toledo have been around since the turn of the century. The area is now an urban neighborhood, a blend of residential and commercial properties, as well as commercial and retail services.

On the fourth Thursday of the month from May through September, the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo and neighborhood artists present the Thursday Art Walk. Mark and I had an opportunity to browse the art galleries and studios of the district while rubbing elbows with the locals and taking in the beauty of the old gone new. We saw some fabulous artwork, met the nicest people, and indulged in yummy Italian cuisine.

The eclectic mix proved to be a great way to start the weekend!

Apology Accepted

Rainbows apologize for angry skies.

~ Sylvia Voirol

Angry skies? That’s a bit of an understatement. I’d say they were more along the lines of livid. I didn’t even know storms were in the forecast; it had been sunny (albeit hot and humid) all day. Yet there I was in early evening, minding my own business and wrapping up work so I could skip town early for the holiday weekend when the loudest crack of thunder caught me off guard. The skies opened and a deluge ensued for the next half hour. It was still raining when the sun finally poked through the clouds and you know what that means ... ideal conditions for rainbow making. Sure enough, I poked my head out the door and saw a perfectly formed arc that did Roy G. Biv proud. But due to telephone poles, traffic lights, billboards and other suburbia interference, I was only able to capture a fraction of it. Lovely nonetheless.

Apology accepted.

Did you hear the one about the guy having a birthday?

What did the bald man say when he got a comb for his birthday?

Thanks, I’ll never part with it!

Where do you find a birthday present for a cat?

In a cat-alogue!

What does a clam do on his birthday?

He shellabrates!

What do you say to a cow on her birthday?

Happy Birthday to Moo!

*Ba-Dump-Bump*

Hey, I don’t write ‘em, I just repeat ‘em.

Some argue that observing birthdays has become passé, but I beg to differ. No matter how old (or young!) one is, it is their special day and should be treated accordingly. Since we’ve endured many, many, many, many years (and I do mean many) of my Dad’s groaners, I thought it fitting to acknowledge his birthday in kind.

Knock-knock!

Who’s there?

Abby!

Abby who?

Abby Birthday to you, Dad, with much love and many hugs! You fill my world with laughter.

And since it’s your birthday (and I know I’m your favorite), I won’t mention the diarrhea look!

Laugh

Earth laughs in flowers.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Just Add Water

Take a cautiously curious toddler, add water and watch what happens …
 

Double Klutz

Did you know that figure skating first appeared as an Olympic sport at the 1908 Summer Games in London? For more than 100 years medal contenders have amazed us with their talent: Axels, triple Salchows, quad toe loops, throw jumps and sit spins. Whether competing solo or as a pair, the athletes’ names have become household words and their stories something we’ll always remember. Ironically, ice skating is something my sister would like to forget.

Deni accompanied Zhak and Kaden to a neighbor’s birthday celebration at the ice arena. While not of Olympic caliber, she’s a good skater. The boys, on the other hand, had never been on the ice. They did so great with the learning-to-skate walkers that on the final lap at the end of the party Zhak decided to try it sans assistance. As soon as he let go, he had a look of panic on his face and started to wobble. Knowing he was going down, Deni and her maternal instinct slid in. What they ultimately executed wasn’t a double lutz (the counter rotated jump), but a double klutz, a tangle of arms and legs resulting in a heap of Deni and Zhak. While she cushioned his fall and he landed unscathed, her shoulder slammed into the ice. Instead of achieving a gold, silver or bronze medal for athletic prowess, she acquired a broken collarbone. Ouch!

While she only scored a 2.5 on technical merit, she receives high marks for (motherly) performance. I think the Russian judge had a soft spot for her.

Fiddlin' Around

I love listening to music and can’t imagine a world without it. Unfortunately, I’ve got to rely on others to provide it for me. I didn’t get in line when they were handing out musical talent. I can’t play a darn thing (though “Learn to play Chopsticks” is No. 18 on my Bucket List!) Nor can I read music. Don’t know my flats from my sharps or the difference between a C major and a G minor. Pitch? Timbre? Harmony? Melody? Not a clue. My nephew has obviously surpassed me on this one.

Even though he’s only six, Zhak’s always been into classical music and enthralled with the violin. He’s been taking lessons and is already way over my head with his musical knowledge. Oh sure, sometimes his Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star sounds like a cat in heat, but he’s doing remarkably well. Not sure where he’s going with this, but he takes it seriously and is adorable to watch. It will be interesting to watch him progress.

Drive-By Shooting

I’ve been spotting purple vegetation. Everywhere. Don’t know if it’s wildflowers or weeds, but it sure is purdy. When I passed an entire field of it near my sister’s house, I did a drive-by shooting (read: roll down the window, thrust out the Canon, snap a photo). But yes, you know me … I’m a sucker for macro photography and willing subjects; it warranted a stop after all.

Good call, no?

Baa! Quack! Meow!

Combine one mystery guest (that would be me) and ten adorable, attentive faces (my nephew and his classmates) with a rhyming picture book and you’ve got the makings for a fun pre-school visit.

There was no writin’ or ‘rithmetic, but readin’ together sure was a wonderful way to spend 30 minutes. Counting and making animal sounds are some of the best things about being a kid ...

and a kid at heart!

Neighborhood Art

Sometimes you don’t need to head to a museum to take in great works of art and attempt to discover what inspired them.  Sometimes all you have to do is look around.  In my travels throughout the southeast side of the city, I’ve noticed many fascinating murals in the most unassuming places.

While utilizing the bank’s drive-up ATM, I spotted pictures on the façade across the parking lot. Since many of them were hidden behind by mature trees and other plantings, I surmised they had been there for some time. Though its current occupant is now an electronics company, they confirmed over 25 years ago the building was home to a hardware business. That explained the nuts and bolts.

Down the street Rogers Department Store exited and Klingman’s Furniture entered. The site has been transformed to include a community park with a lovely rendition of a flowering countryside painted on the corrugated fencing separating the space from the adjacent property.

And the lower parking lot of a corner church showcases a community-themed wall.

Not only are these locales aesthetically pleasing, but they also detail the way a community connects and gives back.  They make you feel good about what’s happening in the neighborhood. They say, “we care.”

Time Out

I love reading, but have had lots going on and lately just haven’t found the time to indulge. Remember A Passage to India which I started in January and continued to tackle in March? Still haven’t gotten past Page 100. And let’s not even talk about those other 50+ books I have yet to dust off and crack open. I’m a pretty fast reader and can usually get through a book in several hours. The problem seems to be carving out that time in my schedule to do so. But I finally did just that.

Back in March Tracey and I swapped books. She got Isadore’s Secret by Mardi Link and I received The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. I had heard rants and raves about the epistolary novel, but knew little of it other than its brief blurb:

January 1946: Writer Julie Ashton receives a letter from a stranger, a founding member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. And so begins a remarkable tale of the island of Guernsey during the German Occupation, and of a society as extraordinary as its name.

Intrigued, I picked it up … and couldn’t put it down. While a very serious subject matter was discussed, it was a seemingly charming and heartwarming read. It had the perfect balance of history and friendship and romance. I loved, Loved, LOVED it!

And yes, now I must revisit India.

Holy Festival, Batman!

You know you’re into the full swing of spring and that summer is right around the corner when church festival season begins. Music, games, food. Mmmmmmmmmmm … I’ve never met a broasted chicken I didn’t like.

My folks invited me to join them for the festivities at their parish, and my sister and her family also ended up tagging along. The boys had a blast in the kiddie area featuring a fish pond, free popcorn and prizes for all. And Kaden was the big winner when he literally walked off with the cake ... or, in this case, the M&M brownies.  It was not only a great way to support and celebrate their Catholic community, but also a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Great company, good times!

Fun Gal Meets Fungi

The up side to all the rain we’ve been having is that my outdoor plants are growing like weeds … except they’re much lovelier. So what’s the problem?

My flowerbeds have been hostilely overtaken by fungus or, in this case since they seem to have multiplied faster than the bunnies living under the pine tree, by fungi.  We’re not talking hallucinogenic shrooms or the delicacies you toss into a great pasta sauce, but rather the woodsy, moldy, musty kind of toadstools that sprout from soggy soil. 

Since I’ve become so bifocal-dependent these days, I didn’t even realize at the time I was taking this photo that there was a whole colony of life under them.  Unlike Horton who took note of the chanting denizens of Who-ville, I never heard a chorus of “We are here! We are here!” or a single “Yopp!”

(Yes. I’ve been hanging out with my nephews again. Why do you ask?)

But I digress. As fascinating as I find these offenders and their inhabitants to be, they've got to go.  I need to get outside and spread a little TLC and fungicide around the yard, and am filing that plan away for next weekend.

But right now? For some strange reason I’m craving pizza.

Why Cucumbers Are Better Than Men

Cucumbers are better than men because …

A cucumber doesn’t care if you don’t shave your legs and won’t bug you about exercising or losing weight.

The average cucumber is at least six inches long and a cucumber won’t tell you size doesn’t count.

Cucumbers never ask, “Are you ready yet?”

A cucumber will always respect you in the morning.

Cucumbers never ask your age.

You can go to a movie with a cucumber ... and see the movie.

You can have as many cucumbers as you can handle.

A cucumber won’t switch channels from your soap to All Star Wrestling.

A cucumber won’t read your diary, will never answer your phone or borrow your car.

A cucumber isn’t allergic to your cat.

A cucumber never wants to get it on when your nails are wet.

A cucumber won’t compare you to a centerfold.

A cucumber will never contest a divorce.

You won’t find out later that your cucumber is married.

You don’t have to wait until halftime to talk to your cucumber.

A cucumber won’t turn on to every leg or breast that passes by.

A cucumber will never call you by the wrong name.

Cucumbers never want to take you home to meet their mothers, nor invite their mothers to stay with you. Cucumbers don’t have mothers.

You can fondle a cucumber in the supermarket ... and you know how firm it is before you take it home.

A cucumber will never give you a hickey.

***

Okay, I’ll admit it. With this post my blog has gone from a PG rating to nose-diving toward the gutter. But this Reader’s Digest Condensed version (edited in an attempt to preserve at least a shred of decency) is pretty funny, no?

Well, it was when I gave the paperback to my cousin Sandy many, many, many years ago. At the time I sacrificed half a dozen Playgirl magazines to create wrapping paper and presented the book to her—accompanied by vegetable—as a bachelorette party gift. Hard to believe that was nearly three decades ago.  I swear we were 23 just yesterday. Where DOES the time go?!?!?

In any event, even though she likely didn’t hang onto that cucumber very long, today she and Dave are celebrating their 27th wedding anniversary. I’m not sure if he’s into All Star Wrestling, bugs her about exercising or losing weight, or has ever given her a hickey (TMI … some things are better left unknown), but she definitely made the right choice in keeping him!

Blessings and love to both of you, with wishes for many, many, many more cucumber-less years together! Enjoy your day!

Spring Bloom

If you’ve never been thrilled to the very edges of your soul by a flower in spring bloom, maybe your soul has never been in bloom.

~Terri Guillemets

Roamin' the Neighborhood

Though the weather was still a tad bit on the chilly side and the skies overcast, at least it wasn’t raining. After bopping around town, I decided to detour. (Do we see a pattern here?) And this time I actually had tennies in the car so I wouldn’t have to roam in heels!

One of the perqs of living in my neighborhood is access to its many parks and, as a township resident, I’m not subjected to an entrance fee. We like free! The main features of Georgetown Community Park are a public beach and fishing area, but my favorite part is the trail around the lake.

With lots of lovely flora and fauna, it’s a great place to walk or just hang out.

Fresh air and exercise in a gorgeous setting … it does a body good!

Sprinkling and Unwrinkling

Aw c’mon … really? Another rainy day?

Okay. Okay. I concede. There are some things like the weather over which I have no control. But that heap of ironing that’s accumulating on the couch is definitely in my charge. So yes, while I confess I have yet again submitted to watching movies due to stormy skies, it was in no way a lazy day. Three flicks later I have made a substantial dent in the mounting pile of wrinkles.

The only problem is that I now seem to be running out of closet space …

Experimenting with Filters

I've been playing around with the Filter button in Photoshop just to see what kind of things it would do. This is the original photo, but watch what happens to it when different filters are applied.

Colored Pencil is pretty, no?

Or how about Fresco?  I've used this one before and really like the effect.

Palette Knife ... wish I could paint this well.

Neon Glow gives it an entirely different look.

Poster Edges?  Very groovy!

Shall we go a bit mosaic with Stained Glass?

And finally, Glowing Edges would be right at home in my contemporary decor.

A fun little experiment which definitely satisfies my creative streak. 

Which one is your fave?